Nov 21 2020 — Janyce McGregor — CBC — Canada and the United Kingdom have reached an interim post-Brexit trade agreement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Saturday. “Now we get to continue to work on a bespoke agreement, a comprehensive agreement, over the coming years that will really maximize our trade opportunities and boost things for everyone,” Trudeau […]
Nov 19 2020 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — It would protect Canada’s ties with Europe as well. Ottawa—Canada and the United Kingdom are in range of a transitional trade deal to cover the latter’s departure from the European Union and set the stage for the negotiation of a full trade deal later, says a senior government official. Discussions on the transitional deal […]
Nov 18 2020 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Canada needs to better position itself in trade matters. Ottawa—Even as a new occupant of the White House draws closer, the Canadian agrifood sector needs to carefully track what will happen in U.S. farm and food policies, says the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. In a statement on the U.S. election, Tyler McCann, CAPI’s Chief Engagement […]
Nov 17 2020 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Resolving disputes with the EU takes longer than it should. Ottawa—While there are signs of progress in overcoming European obstacles to Canadian agrifood shipments, Ottawa will have to keep the pressure on, says veteran trade negotiator Steve Verheul. Pork and beef shipments still face the most difficulties under the three-year old free trade with […]
Nov 9 2020 — Janyce McGregor — CBC — On the morning of the U.S. election, a Vancouver radio host asked Justin Trudeau what topped his list of cross-border concerns. “Trade,” the prime minister said. “Continuing access to the American market, making sure we’re defending Canadian jobs, defending Canadian workers and ensuring a smooth flow of goods across the border, even in a difficult […]
Nov 2 2020 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Many Canadian food products still hindered by European regulations, says CAFTA. Ottawa –While a pledge to improve trade between Canada and Europe sounds promising, a lot remains to be done to make it a reality, says Dan Darling, President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA). Canada and the EU are championing free trade […]
Oct 28 2020 — The Canadian Press — Canada coped with nearly four years of Donald Trump rewriting or shredding the international trade rule book. But Canadian hope of a rosy return to rules-based bonhomie with its top trading partner under a Joe Biden presidency might be premature. That warning comes from numerous trade experts, analysts and diplomats who have watched Canadians cope […]
Oct 27 2020 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — CAPI sets out a game plan for making the most of the chaos. Ottawa—Rules-based international trade was in trouble before COVID-19 lead to national policies and subsidies that amplified the chaos, says the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI). To cope with the situation, Canada needs to build up its sustainability credentials and find like-minded […]
Oct 20 2020 — Salon — On a spring day in 2017, Robert Lighthizer walked through the doors of the office of the United States Trade Representative to introduce himself to the career staff who had shepherded American trade policy for a generation. After a chaotic few months awaiting Lighthizer’s confirmation, officials were eager for stability; Lighthizer offered deep expertise in […]
Oct 6 2020 — Alexander Panetta — CBC — The anthology of catchphrases summarizing the Canada-U.S. relationship runs the gamut from John F. Kennedy’s solemnity to Pierre Trudeau’s comedy. But when it comes to trade these days, perhaps the best example of the genre manages to be a bit of both. “The Americans are our best friends,” Robert Thompson, a Canadian MP in the […]
Oct 5 2020 — James McCarten, The Canadian Press — WASHINGTON, Wash. — After waging war on Canadian dairy, steel and aluminum, Donald Trump's White House appears to be setting its sights on new foreign trade invaders: blueberries and raspberries. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer served notice last week that the Trump administration fears domestic producers are being unfairly harmed by what they call a […]
Sep 22 2020 — Alex Binkley — National Newswatch — Trade minister, former premiers agree agrifood shortchanged in trade deal. Ottawa-While the Canada-Europe free trade deal is usually described in glowing terms for its benefits to the Canadian economy, it hasn’t worked out for the country’s farmers, says Dan Darling, President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA). The deal reached its third anniversary […]
Sep 21 2020 — Janyce McGregor — CBC — With only three months to go, businesses that trade between Canada and the United Kingdom are worried about not having a post-Brexit deal in place. Although the United Kingdom left the European Union in January, the terms of the EU’s Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada continue to apply until Dec. 31, offering […]
Sep 21 2020 — Steven Chase — Globe and Mail — Five former premiers have written to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking him to take direct action to fix problems with the Canada-European Union trade deal that they say are thwarting Canadian agri-food sales to the 27-country market. Signatories of the letter include Jean Charest, the former Quebec premier who helped kick-start negotiations that led to […]
Sep 15 2020 — The Canadian Press — The United States blinked Tuesday in its latest tariff dispute with Canada, lifting a 10 per cent levy on Canadian-made aluminum just hours before Ottawa was to let fly with a suite of countermeasures. The tariffs are being lifted retroactive to Sept. 1 because Canadian exports are expected to “normalize” over the remainder of the […]